Kansas City Royals pitcher Yordano Ventura died early Sunday morning in a car crash in the Dominican Republic. He was 25 years old.

Ventura seemed to have everything going for him: He was young, had a great fastball, and he was a genuinely nice person. While Ventura struggled this past season, he was still a major piece in the Royals roster going forward.

Ventura’s nickname around the Kansas City clubhouse was “Ace,” and rightfully so. He was by far the best pitcher on the Royals’ pitching staff, and he brought a positive demeanor to everything he did. Ventura seemed to be one of those players that everyone wanted on their team, a hard worker and a good friend to everyone. Royals first baseman Eric Hosmer was among many who expressed their sadness.

ACE I love you my brother. I'm in disbelief and don't know what to say. I love you ACE @… https://t.co/ky3lw2eSoh

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— Eric Hosmer (@TheRealHos35) January 22, 2017

Backup second baseman Christian Colon showed up at Kauffman Stadium to mourn with fans. He also left a very heartfelt message about Ventura on an Instagram post earlier today: “How can I even begin to explain how much I cared about you? You were like a little brother to me. You were a tough one to deal with but with your love and smile you could always make everything ok. … I’m so happy to be able to say I knew you. I’m gonna miss you more than you know… Love you bro and you will forever have a special place in my heart.”

The defining, most touching moment of Ventura’s career came during the 2014 World Series after his good friend and fellow Dominican Oscar Taveras died in a car accident. The next night, Ventura made his first career World Series start and pitched the best game of his career, all while honoring Taveras. He wrote “O.T. #18 R.I.P.” on his cap and cleats to commemorate him. Ventura threw seven innings of shutout baseball, allowing just three hits along the way to win a crucial Game 6 of the World Series and keep the Royals’ championship hopes alive. It was an emotional game for Ventura, as many Royals fans will remember.

Former Dominican MLB player Andy Marte died in a separate car crash in the Dominican Republic early Sunday morning as well. Marte’s final game in the MLB was against the Royals in 2014; Ventura was the starting pitcher.

Ventura’s death leaves a large hole on an already weak Royals pitching staff. The starting rotation was already the team’s weakest link going into next season, and losing Ventura will make it even more difficult for the Royals to win games. The starting rotation, as of now, goes as follows: Danny Duffy, Ian Kennedy, Jason Vargas, Nathan Karns and Chris Young. The average ERA between the five of them comes out to around 4.02, ranking them 10th in the MLB. While that is optimistic, the Royals must improve in that area.

But the void left by Ventura’s death is far more vast than a mere hit to the starting rotation. His death will undoubtedly be felt outside of the confines of Kauffman Stadium. In losing Ventura, the Royals and Kansas City have lost a role model and an active member of the community.

_Edited by Eli Lederman | elederman@themaneater.com_